


Dreaming in Pink

by FluffyHeretic



Category: Hatoful Kareshi | Hatoful Boyfriend
Genre: M/M, Multi, it says its fluff time, look at the clock what does it say
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-22
Updated: 2019-02-22
Packaged: 2019-11-03 20:02:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17884268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FluffyHeretic/pseuds/FluffyHeretic
Summary: Hitori and Kazuaki have been on plenty of dates, but this time it's different: it's their first date with Shuu joining them.





	Dreaming in Pink

“You’re gonna make yourself sick if you keep guzzling that so much, you know.”

Kazuaki put his glass of ice water back down on the table and had to gasp to get his breath back. “I knooow, but I’m so nervous it’s making my throat really really dry! It’s our first date, Hitori! That’s a big deal!”

Hitori felt the corner of his mouth pull up in a grin. “Well, it’s not _our_ first date.”

“Y-You know what I mean… It’s our first date with Shuu!” Kazuaki could barely resist the urge to squirm in his seat with his nerves. “What if it doesn’t go well?”

“Why wouldn’t it go well?”

Kazuaki put his face in his hands. “I don’t know, but what if? He’s already late, what if he changed his mind and isn’t coming?”

“I don’t think he’d leave us hanging like that, he’s too responsible.” Hitori peered up at the clock on the wall. “He’s only a couple of minutes late. Something probably just came up.”

Kazuaki let out a loud sigh and started drinking more water.

It was just a few more minutes before they heard someone enter the cafe and turned to look. Hitori couldn’t help the small “oh my god” that escaped under his breath.

It was Shuu alright, and in a suit and tie no less. Not to mention how he carried not one, but two bouquets in his arms, a variety of flowers in shades of red and pink with leafy green plants among them. The way he was obviously fighting to keep a neutral expression made him look like a deer in the headlights, and when he came over to join Hitori and Kazuaki at their table, he moved so stiffly he may as well have been made of wood. He stuck out like a sore thumb in the tiny, dainty cafe.

He held out the bouquets. “Uh, these are… for you. Both.”

Hitori and Kazuaki were both so shocked it took them a moment to find their presence of mind and take the bouquets. Once they did, Shuu took a seat, knees together, back straight, hands primly in his lap. His expression had not improved.

Hitori cleared his throat. “These, uh, these are very beautiful, Shuu. Thank you.”

Kazuaki had gotten distracted for a second in admiring his bouquet but was quick to join in. “Yes, thank you very much!”

Shuu didn’t seem to be sure how to respond to that. He nodded awkwardly, mouth slightly open as if words were trying to come out but had been stalled. Finally, he said, “That’s… good. I am glad.” He spoke almost as stiffly as he moved.

Of course Hitori and Kazuaki both had questions, but they silently agreed with a look across the table that they should at least order food and let Shuu settle in before they bombarded him and potentially worsened his awkwardness.

After a few bites of his fried rice, Hitori decided he couldn’t take it anymore. He coughed into his fist to break the comfortable silence they had fallen into. “So um, uh-” He gestured at Shuu’s outfit. “I wish I’d gotten the memo about the dress code, I’m a little embarrassed I don’t look half as good as you do.” He felt a little bad calling Shuu out like that, but seriously, he needed answers.

Kazuaki plucked at his graphic t-shirt self-consciously.

Shuu stopped poking at his house salad to glance down at himself, cheeks dusted pink from Hitori’s compliment. “I-I know it’s- This is our first date.” He looked back up to Hitori and made an effort to speak more clearly. “Which means that first impressions are critical.” He gestured over himself, then towards the bouquet that Kazuaki was holding. “Hence…”

Hitori glanced between them and nodded. “That makes sense, I guess… Well, I’m certainly not going to complain. You look good.”

Kazuaki nodded his agreement. “Yeah, you look great, Shuu!” He looked all dolled up like a present, which made Kazuaki want to unwrap him. He ate his yakisoba noodles more vigorously to distract himself from the thought. It was only the first date!

Shuu ducked his head somewhat and nodded as way of thanks.

“These really are so pretty.” After calming himself down, Kazuaki had taken to appreciating his bouquet again. “What’s in here? I know these are roses, and these are lilies… Do they mean anything? Flowers symbolize stuff sometimes, right?”

“Oh, of course.” Shuu straightened up again and leaned towards Kazuaki so he could point things out. “You already mentioned the dark pink roses and white lilies… Thankfulness and sweetness, respectively. The dark pink hydrangeas are for gratitude for understanding, the pink alstroemerias for devotion… The lemon leaves… ah… everlasting… love…” He had started off confidently, but as he went on, the use of such sappy language flustered him again until he lost so much steam that by the end, his dates could hardly hear him. He leaned back in his seat, cleared his throat thoroughly in a bid to regain some semblance of dignity, and continued, “The green trick dianthus, peach hypericum, sword fern, and dusty miller are all simply for style.”

Once again, Hitori and Kazuaki found themselves at a loss for words. Kazuaki looked back at his bouquet. It was obvious to everyone that Iwamine Shuu was not a man who spoke of his feelings often, if at all, so the notion that he had instead imbued the bouquet with what he wanted to get across suddenly gave it a new level of meaning. Gratitude, devotion… love? He really felt so strongly? Kazuaki blinked his eyes rapidly to try to keep them from filling with tears. His voice was thick when he said, “Thank you again, Shuu… I love them so much! Thank you!”

“That really is lovely, Shuu. Thank you.” Hitori sounded similarly impressed. “But I have to say, I wouldn’t have expected you to be so knowledgable about this sort of thing.” He cocked an eyebrow, a smile playing on his lips. “What’s that about?”

Shuu rolled his eyes. “If you must know the truth, then… Alright, I haven’t told anyone this before.” That instantly got their rapt attention, and he added quickly, “It isn’t that exciting. My intention was to become a biologist for a very, very long time. But I didn’t know that that was what I wanted to do right away. In fact, the _first_ thing I wanted to be was a florist.” He had started rubbing circles in his pants with his finger absentmindedly. “Obviously plans changed, but the interest simply stuck around. That’s all.”

“No way,” Hitori said. And again, “No way. Are you messing with us?”

Shuu simply shook his head.

Hitori and Kazuaki looked to each other, mirroring one another’s endlessly amused grins.

“That’s. Amazing.” Kazuaki leaned on his elbows, head rested in his hands, gazing off with a dreamy look in his eyes. “I can picture it now, you putting beautiful bouquets together like this one… I’d buy from you all the time!”

“I… wouldn’t charge you anyway…” Shuu murmured, his blush having returned. He took a sip of his water and then spoke more clearly, “Even if I did intend to change my career path to that of a florist, I couldn’t. Color plays too large a role.”

“Oh yeah, I keep forgetting you’re colorblind.” Hitori hesitated, then smiled and said, “Well, if you had an assistant or two, maybe it wouldn’t be a problem.”

“Oh my gosh, that would be so much fun!” Kazuaki was so excited at the idea that he couldn’t help but bounce in his seat a little.

Even Shuu couldn’t help the tiniest little contented smile that appeared on his face from all the enthusiasm. “Well, it isn’t in my plans right now anyway. I suppose it is a somewhat romantic prospect, though.”

They continued to chat for a while longer, until they had all finished their food and then a bit after that. Kazuaki talked about the anime he’d been watching, Hitori went on about what Nageki was up to, and Shuu became flustered and almost bashful whenever the conversation took anything even approaching a sentimental direction.

Once they had left, they determined that Shuu lived closest to the cafe, and so they’d walk him home. It was the chivalrous thing to do, after all. Shuu walked in the middle, and Hitori and Kazuaki both independently of each other contemplated taking his hand. Neither went for it though, determining it was too early with how unused to such things the doctor seemed. But that was perfectly okay.

Upon arriving in his apartment, Shuu opened the door before standing in the entrance and turning to address his dates one last time. “Thank you for the fine evening. I had a pleasant time. If you are up for a similar outing sometime soon…”

“Definitely!” Kazuaki piped up. “I had so much fun. I want to do this a million more times!”

“We’ll have to make plans soon, then,” Hitori said, and then he punctuated the statement with a quick, gentle kiss to Shuu’s temple. Not wanting to be left out, Kazuaki gave him one on the cheek, too.

The look on Shuu’s face was the look of a man who was using every ounce of effort in his body to keep from smiling the most blissful smile. Even with it so suppressed to near nonexistence, it was still the most elated either Hitori or Kazuaki had ever seen Shuu look in the entire time they had known him.

“I-I… will look forward to it,” Shuu said evenly. “Until next time, then… Please remain in good health in the meanwhile.”

“We will!” Kazuaki gave Shuu a big wave as he and Hitori began to walk off. “You too!”

Hitori complimented Kazuaki’s wave with his own more subtle one. “Have a good night, Shuu. See you at work on Monday.”

Shuu returned their waves politely, then watched them turn the bend in the hallway before finally closing the door.

Kazuaki, who had a bounce in his step by now, took Hitori’s hand naturally once they were outside. After a few more minutes of walking, Hitori said, “So, what did you think?”

“I think it was great!” Kazuaki chirped. “He seemed really nervous, which made me feel a little bad for him, but it was kind of cute too, huh? And I could tell how hard he was trying! I mean, just look at these flowers - wow! And his outfit, ahh, he was sooo handsome!”

Hitori chuckled. “Yeah, he’s got his own very unique sort of charm, doesn’t he? You’re right though, he’s definitely a very dedicated person. I think that’s an admirable trait. It seems like it might take him a while to get used to this romantic stuff, so we’ll have to be patient with him.”

“That’s okay,” Kazuaki said, and Hitori hummed in agreement. “He seems like a special person. I’ll wait forever for him if I have to.”

“Me too.”

**Author's Note:**

> i have a twitter/curious cat joint account where you can ask staff trio questions, the twitter url is askstafftrio and if you like them then you should totally check it out!  
> i mention it mostly bc there was an ask on there a lil while ago where they mentioned their first date and hitori brought up the suit+bouquets, and for this month's fic i thought, "you know what, lets see it. ill write that"  
> my friend Selina has an au where shuu is a florist and i like it so much i decided to kind of make it a headcanon lol, so ofc i HAD to put that in here. Selina if you read this i hope that tickles you~  
> as always, thank you SO MUCH for reading and comments are appreciated!!


End file.
